SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) conducted the third snow survey of the season at Phillips Station on Friday, finding 28 inches of snow depth with a snow water equivalent of 11 inches – 47 percent of average for that location.

The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast. Statewide, the snowpack is 66 percent of average for this date.

Friday’s snow survey results show an increase from last month’s measurements following a series of cold, major snow-producing storms that ended a five-week dry period. Unfortunately, the recent storms were not enough to get the state back to average conditions for this time of year. Warmer storms early this week also caused snowmelt at lower elevations.

“Although the storms we saw in mid-February were some of the coldest and best snow-producing storms we have seen since 2023, they were not enough to get us back to average conditions,” said Andy Reising, manager of DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit. “The snowpack is in better shape than it was one month ago, but we only have a month left of our snow-accumulation season, and time is rapidly running out to catch up. Statewide, we are only about 57 percent of where we hope to be by April 1.”

Storms this season have also been unevenly distributed across the Sierras. While the Southern Sierra Nevada is 90 percent average for today’s date, the Northern Sierra Nevada, where several of the largest major water supply reservoirs are located, is only 46 percent normal for this date.

Snow measurement at Lake Tahoe shows a little more than the Phillips measuring spot. All runoff from snow in the Lake Tahoe Basin flows into Nevada, while the water from Phillips flows into the American River and feeds California water systems. On average, the Sierra snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs. Its natural ability to store water is why the Sierra snowpack is often referred to as California’s “frozen reservoir.”

The statewide readings on Feb. 27:

The statewide readings on February 14:

Nevada’s readings this week: